What do teachers, professional athletes, military officers and health care professionals have in common? All of them participate in some form of professional development. Be it workshops, spring training, boot camp or conferences, they all take advantage of different types of opportunities to improve their competence, boost their advancement possibilities, keep abreast of new technology, and comply with regulatory requirements. However, even if you are not involved in these professions, you can still benefit from similar opportunities. On the contrary, professional development is useful for everyone – even small business owners. It’s easy to get caught up in the everyday struggles and grind of running your own business. But it’s important to take advantage of networking and training events.
These are some of the best options available …
- YOUR LOCAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: If you’re not involved with your local chamber of commerce, you should be. It’s a great place to form business connections within your community. Along with networking opportunities, many local chambers of commerce bring in guest speakers and offer training, professional development, and resources for local business owners.
- MENTORING: While mentoring may not be a “traditional” development program, aligning yourself with a professional who can share his knowledge and experiences can make a huge impact. An organization like SCORE is a great place to find a business adviser. A non-profit association I am thrilled to be part of SCORE is dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals.
- WEBINARS, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS AND CONFERENCES: When you’re up to your eyeballs in keeping your business running, professional development may seem like a luxury, secondly only to free time. But it’s vital for small business owners to invest in education because the best way to stay ahead of the competition is to stay informed and on top of your field. If your schedule is tight and unpredictable, start small and work your way up.
- SERVICE CLUB ORGANIZATIONS: Civic organizations like Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club and Lions Club are excellent vehicles for using your business to do good within your community. Though each organization focuses their efforts on different worthy causes, they all try to promote community service, professional leadership development and youth empowerment.
Each of these options can provide a great deal of networking and learning opportunities for you. But you need to be realistic and selective. Think about how much time and energy you have to give before you take action. As with anything in life, you will get out of it what you put in.
If you have other suggestions for professional development and networking, I’d love to hear them. Also if you need introductions to any of the organizations mentioned in this blog, please contact me.
Have a great week!
